A true speakeasy! I forgot the name of the restaurant it’s in, but once you ask for Banzarbar the host will show you down a winded path to the hidden bar. The bar is ship-themed, from the deco to the menu, which was fun; the space is quite small and can’t fit very many parties, so it has an intimate vibe too. The drinks also tasted surprisingly good. All in all, a hidden gem of a speakeasy!
Lauren Roper
Very fun and interesting menu, exceptional cocktails! Good for dates, definitely need a reservation.
Madhumita Sawant
Vibes: 9/10, Drinks: 10/10, Service: 10/10
Honestly this place was amazing! We booked a reservation for Friday on the same day for 2. It’s a speakeasy and the host of the Freeman’s restaurant will take you the Banzarbar located on the 2nd floor. It’s a very cozy, dark, intimate vibe. Perfect for a date night. Not noisy either.
The bartender promptly served us with water and the welcome drink, while also explaining the history of the bar and the thematic menu around the Banzar voyage.
The drinks themselves were excellent. We ordered 3 each between me and my partner and we couldn’t choose a favorite because they were all amazing. We also ordered the Shisito peppers with a chipotle dip, which were incredible!
Shivam Puri
A lovely speakeasy with nice cocktails
Ryan Welish
Drinks were excellent and Ryan was a great bartender. Asked us what we liked and made us great drinks to match our taste. Will definitely be coming back
Jaime McDonald
Waited 50+ for our first round of drinks, as the bar tender would rather serve their mates then acknowledge guests. Food arrived before drinks and we had to ask for cutlery to be able to eat your food appropriately. Felt very unwelcoming, had to continuously ask for service, to get water top ups, to get menus to look at. Drinks and food were incredibly average for the price we paid. Extremely disappointing experience, especially when we had heard such high praise for the venue. Do not recommend, save your time and money.
C. Marcon
One of my favorite NYC bars. Too bad Taylor Swift had a birthday here so it’s nearly impossible to walk in these days… Make sure you try the Urn, a zombie-like drink that is by far the best tiki cocktail I’ve had in the city (including Paradise Lost’s, which are great btw).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Katherine Iris
Banzarbar is a fantastic spot located upstairs from one of my favorite restaurants. Thea, the host, greeted us with a warm attitude and positive energy, making our check-in experience enjoyable. The decor is stunning, creating a really cool ambiance that sets the stage for a great night out.
The drinks were fantastic, with Beatrice, our bartender, providing excellent recommendations and executing them perfectly. My only wish is that the music was a bit more lively and upbeat to match the vibrant atmosphere. Overall, Banzarbar is a great place to unwind and enjoy delicious cocktails!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Divya Juneja
Very intimate, nice, small and cozy place. They take you upstairs, to get to speakeasy. Loved the service and drinks were very good too! Loved the way they organized the menu based on sea/ boat theme.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Anton S.
Atmosphere 9/10 The speakeasy inside a restaurant in an alley of East Village, hidden behind a not-so-obvious door on the second floor. The interior design recreates nicely some elements of the Banzar expedition, which gave the bar the name. Rather dark and intimate atmosphere with plenty of bar seating, and a nice back bar.
Drinks 10/10 Recommendation: Shackleton’s Urn Very thematic menu with references to the journey of Banzar expedition. Creative drinks, cool garnish and presentation. Special glasses and cups for some cocktails. nice coasters
Service 9/10 Cool bartender team - shoutout to Zach, who took the time to explain the history of the bar and the menu. Water and a welcome drink served immediately. Average prices for NYC
Reservation necessary and recommended well in advance
Walked in on a Monday night without a reservation and was seated after 20min. The bar is super cozy and the menu is organized well. There was only one bartender so service isnt the fastest but he was so nice and helpful and we loved our drinks. Especially if you're not in a hurry, I highly recommend this bar!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
Eva Phan
One of the most underrated bars in New York City. Very cool space, hidden away from the traffic of the Lower East Side. You’ll walk into Freeman’s, then be guided through a maze of hallways before reaching the small, intimate space.
Drinks are sophisticated and refined. Expect to taste your alcohol—not a ton of options for things that are super fruity or sweet. Those that are still are balanced out with other flavors, crafting a well-rounded cocktail.
Definitely book Banzarbar for date night. The volume is kept to a minimum which makes it easy to get into conversation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Audrey Brennan
hostesses were insanely rude!!!! rest of the staff were amazing but hostesses were demeaning and made it difficult to get to our reserved table :(
Ameily Chang
Hidden gem tucked away in a very secluded spot. small and intimate, delicious drinks, and very great and knowledgeable bartenders
A true speakeasy! I forgot the name of the restaurant it’s in, but once you ask for Banzarbar the host will show you down a winded path to the hidden bar. The bar is ship-themed, from the deco to the menu, which was fun; the space is quite small and can’t fit very many parties, so it has an intimate vibe too. The drinks also tasted surprisingly good. All in all, a hidden gem of a speakeasy!
Very fun and interesting menu, exceptional cocktails! Good for dates, definitely need a reservation.
Vibes: 9/10, Drinks: 10/10, Service: 10/10
Honestly this place was amazing! We booked a reservation for Friday on the same day for 2. It’s a speakeasy and the host of the Freeman’s restaurant will take you the Banzarbar located on the 2nd floor. It’s a very cozy, dark, intimate vibe. Perfect for a date night. Not noisy either.
The bartender promptly served us with water and the welcome drink, while also explaining the history of the bar and the thematic menu around the Banzar voyage.
The drinks themselves were excellent. We ordered 3 each between me and my partner and we couldn’t choose a favorite because they were all amazing. We also ordered the Shisito peppers with a chipotle dip, which were incredible!
A lovely speakeasy with nice cocktails
Drinks were excellent and Ryan was a great bartender. Asked us what we liked and made us great drinks to match our taste. Will definitely be coming back
Waited 50+ for our first round of drinks, as the bar tender would rather serve their mates then acknowledge guests. Food arrived before drinks and we had to ask for cutlery to be able to eat your food appropriately. Felt very unwelcoming, had to continuously ask for service, to get water top ups, to get menus to look at. Drinks and food were incredibly average for the price we paid. Extremely disappointing experience, especially when we had heard such high praise for the venue. Do not recommend, save your time and money.
One of my favorite NYC bars. Too bad Taylor Swift had a birthday here so it’s nearly impossible to walk in these days… Make sure you try the Urn, a zombie-like drink that is by far the best tiki cocktail I’ve had in the city (including Paradise Lost’s, which are great btw).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Banzarbar is a fantastic spot located upstairs from one of my favorite restaurants. Thea, the host, greeted us with a warm attitude and positive energy, making our check-in experience enjoyable. The decor is stunning, creating a really cool ambiance that sets the stage for a great night out.
The drinks were fantastic, with Beatrice, our bartender, providing excellent recommendations and executing them perfectly. My only wish is that the music was a bit more lively and upbeat to match the vibrant atmosphere. Overall, Banzarbar is a great place to unwind and enjoy delicious cocktails!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very intimate, nice, small and cozy place. They take you upstairs, to get to speakeasy. Loved the service and drinks were very good too! Loved the way they organized the menu based on sea/ boat theme.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere 9/10
The speakeasy inside a restaurant in an alley of East Village, hidden behind a not-so-obvious door on the second floor. The interior design recreates nicely some elements of the Banzar expedition, which gave the bar the name. Rather dark and intimate atmosphere with plenty of bar seating, and a nice back bar.
Drinks 10/10
Recommendation: Shackleton’s Urn
Very thematic menu with references to the journey of Banzar expedition. Creative drinks, cool garnish and presentation. Special glasses and cups for some cocktails. nice coasters
Service 9/10
Cool bartender team -
shoutout to Zach, who took the time to explain the history of the bar and the menu. Water and a welcome drink served immediately. Average prices for NYC
Reservation necessary and recommended well in advance
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Walked in on a Monday night without a reservation and was seated after 20min. The bar is super cozy and the menu is organized well. There was only one bartender so service isnt the fastest but he was so nice and helpful and we loved our drinks. Especially if you're not in a hurry, I highly recommend this bar!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
One of the most underrated bars in New York City. Very cool space, hidden away from the traffic of the Lower East Side. You’ll walk into Freeman’s, then be guided through a maze of hallways before reaching the small, intimate space.
Drinks are sophisticated and refined. Expect to taste your alcohol—not a ton of options for things that are super fruity or sweet. Those that are still are balanced out with other flavors, crafting a well-rounded cocktail.
Definitely book Banzarbar for date night. The volume is kept to a minimum which makes it easy to get into conversation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
hostesses were insanely rude!!!! rest of the staff were amazing but hostesses were demeaning and made it difficult to get to our reserved table :(
Hidden gem tucked away in a very secluded spot. small and intimate, delicious drinks, and very great and knowledgeable bartenders
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great service. Great milk punch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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